After a challenging but successful engagement with Google, I would like to refer back to a bona fide Decius classic:

I've come to the conclusion that you actually want shifty, dishonest politicians elected by an apathetic populace. This means that things are working.

There are two reasons that people act: Carrots and Sticks. Lowering the barrier to entry might be a carrot, but the sticks are much more effective and come when the political situation makes it impossible for people to go about their lives without acting.

I'm confident that technology has improved the resources available to people if/when they choose to act. So far they don't need to, largely. Don't wish for times when they do. When people are involved and committed and political leaders are honest and have clear vision; that usually happens when things are really, really fucked up. Who are the U.S. Presidents we most admire? What was going on during their presidencies?

That was part of a discussion in a thread about an op-ed by Robert Wright, Creating a New Picture of War, Pixel by Pixel.

This really struck a nerve with me. I don't recall the original thread, although I remember reading the article. THESE ARE THE TIMES PEOPLE!!! Look at where we are standing! Five years ago, on September 12, 2001, the entire world was with us. We were universally supported to exact justice against the people which threatened not just the security in the US, but throughout the world. And we had about as much latitude as any government is ever going to get to do what was necessary to take care of that.

But guess what? WE HAVE FUCKED UP!!! We are standing on top of at least 250,000 dead bodies. $500,000,000,000.00 that will likely not even get paid back by our grand children. An entire religion of people who not only don't trust us, but want to see our culture destroyed. The scorn of the entire world for being so wasteful and betraying our very principals. Not to mention the fact that we haven't caught the guy who was responsible for this whole mess in the first place.

In the meantime, we've not helped to educate people better. We've not helped to protect our children better. We've not fed the hungry or clothe the poor or heal the sick. We've not even protected the ideals which our society was founded on. Our health care costs have doubled. Our literacy rate has dropped. Our teams of poor have swelled. And we are missing one of the greatest cities in our entire nation - STILL!

So where is the corollary? Where is that great leader with vision and fortitude and resolve? Cuz I can't imagine things much more fucked up than they are now.

RE: The Vanishing